3-substituted-17alpha-thienyl-and-17alpha-thiazolyl-17beta-hydroxy-androstenes



3,ld,5l Patented Feb. 2,

fitice United States Patent ZULYLl'YrS-EYDRUXY-ANDRQSTENES Taichiro Komeno, Usaita, Japan, assignor to Shionogi $0., Ltd, @salra, Jiapan No Drawing.

@iairns priority, application .l'apan, Apr. 26, 11962, 37/1108 6 5 Qlairns. (CL Edd-$39.5)

The present invention relates to androstane derivatives and production thereof. More particularly, 'it relates to the 17a-substituted 17l3-hydroxyandrostane derivative represented by the formula:

wherein R is a member selected from the group consisting of thienyl and thiazolyl and a protected 3-oxo-4-ene structure is present in the A- and B-rings. Examples of the protected 3-oXo-4-ene structure present in the A- and B-rings include a B-Ketalated oxo-S-ene structure such as 3,3-Wer alkylenedioxy-S-ene (e.g. 3,3-ethylenedioxy-5- ene, 3,3-propylenedioxy-5-ene) and 3,3-di-(lower)alkoxy- S-ene (e.g. 3,3-dimethoXy-5-ene, 3,3-diethoXy-5-ene, 3,3- dipropoxy-S-ene), a 3-etherified hydroXy-3,5-diene structure such as 3-lower alkoxy-3,5-diene (e.g. S-methoxy- 3,5-diene, 3-ethoxy-3,5-diene, 3-propoXy-3,5-diene) and a 3-esterified hydroxy-3,5-diene structure such as 3-l0wer alkanoyloxy-3,5-diene (cg. 3-acetyloXy-3,5-diene, 3-pro pionyloxy-3,5-diene, 3-butyryloXy-3,5-diene). It is an object of the present invention to embody the said Hot-substituted 17B-hydroxyandrostane derivative of Formula 1. Another object of the invention is to embody a process for preparing the Not-substituted 17,8-hydroxyandrostane derivative (1). A further object of the invention is to embody the Not-substituted l7fi-hydroxyandrostane derivative (1) which is useful as an intermediate in the production of physiologically active steroids. These and other objects Will be apparent to those conversant with the art to which the present invention pertains from the subsequent description.

The objective 170t-SilbSlitl1tCd 17,8-hydroXyandrostane derivative (1) is prepared from the corresponding 17- oxoandrostane derivative represented by the formula:

wherein a protected 3-oxo-4-ene structure is present in the A- and B-rings by subjecting the latter to the reaction with an organic metal compound containing the group corresponding to the above designated symbol R, followed by hydrolysis.

The starting 17-oxoandrostane derivative of Formula 11 may be prepared by subjecting a well known compound, 3-oxo-17e-hydroxy-4-androstene (testosterone), to ketalation, followed by oxidation. For instance, 3-oxo- 17B-hydroxy-4-androstene is lretalated in a conventional manner to give 3-ketalated 0X0-17,B-hydroxy-S-androstene,

Fiied Apr. 23, 1963, tier. No. 274,913 p procedure to 3-ketalated oXo-17-oXo-5-androstene. Alternativel the starting 17-oxoandrostane derivative (11) may be also prepared by subjecting a Well known compound, 3,l7-dioXo-4-androstene (androtex), to enoletherification or enolesterification. For instance, 3,17-dioxol-androstene is enoletherified or enolesterified according to a conventional method whereby 'S-etherified or esterified hydroxy-l7-oXo-3,5-androstadiene is prepared.

According to the process of the present invention, the 17-oxoandrostane derivative (11) is first treated with an organic metal compound containing the group corresponding to the above designate-A i symbol R (eg. thienyl lithiurn, thienyl sodium, thienyl magnesium halide, thiazoiyl lithium, thiazolyl sodium, thiazolyl magnesium halide) in an inert organic solvent (eg. ether, dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, benzene, toluene) at a temperature from 0 to 100 (3., usually at room temperature (10 to 30 C.). The resulting addition product is then hydrolyzed in an acidic medium preferably by treating the same with an aqueous solution of an acidic salt (e.g. ammonium chloride, ammonium bromide, ammonium sulfate) at room temperature (10 to 30 (3.).

The thus-produced Not-substituted l7fi-hydroxyandrostane derivative (l) is useful as an intermediate in the production of physiologically active steroids. Thus, the

i7OL-SUbSiil lli6d l7ffi-hydroxyandrostane derivative (1) is [treated according to a conventional procedure for the regeneration of a 3-oXo-4-ene structure, e.g. the treatment with an acid, to give generally the 3-oXo-l7u-substituted 17fl hydroxy-4-androstene represented by the formula:

wherein R has thesame significance as designated above, the latter being useful as a pituitary gonadotrophininhibiting agent.

Practical and presently-preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustratively shown in the following examples. In the examples, abbreviations have each conventional significances: e.g. mg.=milligram(s); g.=gram(s); ml.=millilitre(s); C. =degrees centigrade;

Anal. Calcd.=analysis calculated.

0 i O i V i lithium (530) mg.) and butyl bromide (5.20 g.) in ether mi), there is added thiophene (3.18 g), and the resultant mixture is allowed to stand at -10 C. for 1 hour. To the thus-produced solution of Z-thienyl lithium, there is added a solution of 3,3-ethylenedioxy-17-ox0-5- androstene (2.50 g.) in benzene (250 ml), and the resultant solution is stirred for 5 hours at room temperature (1G to 30 C.) and then allowed to stand overnight. The reaction mixture is treated as in Example 1 and the areaers obtained crude product crystallized from ether and recrystallized from a mixture of dichloromcthane and acetone to give 3,3-ethylenedioXy-17a-(2 -thicny1) 17fl-hydroXy-S-anclrostcne (2.30'g.) as crystals melting at 205 [M (.6i2" (in chloroform).

Analysis.-Calcd. for (1 1-1 6 3: C, 72.42; H, 8.27; S, 7.73. Found: C, 72.25; H, 8.40; S, 7.81.

Example 2 To a solution of phenyl lithium prepared from metallic lithium (367 mg.) and bromobenzene (4.12 g.) in ether '(70 ml), there is added a solution of 2-bromothiazole (4.30 g.) in benzene (40 ml.) at 27 C., and the resultant solution is stirred for 36 minutes. A solution 3,3-

ethylenedioxy-17-oXo-5-androstene (2G1 g.) in benzene (260 ml.) is added thereto, stirred for 2 hours at 20 to -10" C. and then allowed to stand at room temperature (10 to 38 C.) overnight. The reaction mixture is combined with an aqueous solution of ammonium chloride and shaken With ether. The ether extract is Washed With Water, dried and evaporated to dryness. The residue is decolorized by treating with neutral alug.), crystallized with ether and recrystallized from a mixture of dichloromethane and acetone to give 3,3-ethylenedioxy-17w(Z-thiazolyl)-17/3 hydroxy S-androstene (1.99 g.) as small melting at 216 to 218 C. (decorno). =25.9i2 (L1 chloroform).

Analysis.-Calcd. for C H O NS: C, 69.36; H, 8.00; N, 3.37; S, 7.72. Found: C, 69.47; H, 8.18; N, 3.50; S, 7.64.

The above prepared 3,3-ethylenedioxy 17oz (2 thiazolyl)-17/i-hydroxy-5-androstene (2.19 g.) and p-to1uenesulfonic acid hydrate (170 mg.) are dissolved in acetone (59 ml), and the resultant solution is refluxed for 3 hours. The reaction mixture is made alkaline with an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate and shaken With chloroform. The chloroform extract is Washed with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness. The residue is crystallized from ether and recrystallized from aqueous methanol to give 3-oXo- Analysis.-Calcd. for C rl O NSz C, 71.12; H, 7.87; N, 3.77; S, 8.63. Found: C, 71.26; H, 8.07; N, 3.88; S, 8.85.

What is claimed is:

1. A compound of the formula the substituent X being selected from the group consisting of 3,3-lower alkylenedioXy-, 3,3-di-(l0Wer)all-.oXy-, 3-lc-Wer alkoxyand 3-10Wer a1kanoyloXy-, the ring A including a double bond in the 3,4-position in the case of the 3-lower allcoxyand 3-lower alkanoyloXy-substitucuts.

2. A compound of the formula 23%;] l r. ey

t-(Z-thiazolyl)-17/3-hydroXy-4-androstene (1.66 g.) as I flat needles melting at to 197 C. (in chloroform).

Cited in the tile of this patent UNHED STATES PATEI'JTS 2,344,997 Miescher Mar. 28, 1944 OTHER REFERENCES Loewenthal: Tetrahedron, vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 269-303, 287-290 relied on lune 1959. 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA 